Automatic apron-guide roll



April 15 1924.

J. W. BERCAW AUTOMATIC APRON GUIDE ROLL Filed Sept. 30. 1920 2 SheetsSheet 1 [A 'V/EN TOR Patented Apr. 15 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. BEBGAW, OF HAMILTON, OHIO,

ASSIGNOB TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, 01110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ao'romrrc arson-cums norm.

Application filed September 10, 1920. Serial No. 4tl9,443.

movement of a web or belt, as for instancean apron in a flat work ironing machine.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved self-adjusting ide roll, in which the adjustment is e acted by the creeping of the apron across the machine.

A further object. of my invention'is to provide means for automatically adjusting one of the apron rolls, which means is actuated by the creeping of the apron along the same roll which is adjusted, so as to increase the sensitiveness, accuracy and de pendabilit of the same.

Other jects will ap ear from the following description and c' aims when consid= ered together with the accompanying draw- Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal'sectional view of an ironin machine embodying m invention; Fig. 2 IS an end view of one end of an adjustable roll showing'its pivot bearing; Fig. 3 is an end view of the other end of an adjustable roll showing the'oscillatory bearing; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line; aa Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a. vertical longitudinal section of the mounting of'a guide roll taken on line b-b, Fig. 4; and 'Fig. 6 is a detail view of the oscillatory bearing taken on line H, Fig. 4.

The type of ironing machine here illus-' trated is well known in the "art and com-v prises the metal steam chest 1, the padded rolls 2, 3, 4, 5 and the endless aprons 6 and 7. Apron 6 is driven by roll 8 and passes about the idlers 9, 10 and 11. Apron 7 is driven by roll 12 and passes about other idlers13, 14, 15 and 16. The apron 6 passes along the glazed under face of the steam chest and the two aprons pass in contacting relation between idlers 9 and 8. The arrows on the drawings indicate the direction of travel of the aprons. In operation the work is fed between the padded roll 5 and the steam chest and passes to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. It then passes to the right between the apron 6 andthe under faceof the steam chest, is carried to the left between the aprons 6 and 7 and is final] discharged from the apron 7 over the id er 16 onto a table which is generally employed at this point.

Considerable diificulty has been experi- "enced with this type of machine because of the creeping of "the a ron back and forth across its path of travewith the consequent damaging of the apron and loss of time in+ cident to the necessary stopping of the machine. This condition is relieved by the resent invention in which the lateral creepingof the apron automatically eflects proper adjustment of the idlers 9 .and 14. The mechanism here employed for adjusting the idlers 9 and '14 is the same in the two cases and a description of the one will therefore; a -76 suffice/ The roll 14 has its gudgeon 17 at oneiend,

mounted in the bearing 18 which is .iadj 1,$t,- ably mounted uponthe horizontal rod '19.

The collars 20 and 21securc the gudgeon 17 'inits bearin and-a set screw is provided for locking t e bearing 18in adjusted position. With this adjusting means it is possible to set the roll at the proper angle with respect to the edge of the apron according to conditions and as ex erience may dictate. The rod 19 is carrie by the bracket 22 which is swiveled at 23 upon the bracket arm-24 of the frame25.. The otherend-of the roll It is provided witha gudgeon 26 which is mounted in the. bearing 27. Aconcshaped pulley 28 is formed on the bearin 27 for-engagement bythe edge portion 0% the apron as -it creeps toward this side of the machine. The bearin 27. carries also a pinion 29 which enga s t e rack 30 on the upper bracket mem. er 31. The upper bracket member 31-is connected, to the lower bracket member 32 by mean'sof tie bolts 33. These bracket mem ers are formed with horizontal tracks 34 and .35, respectively, for the upper and lower sets of rollers 36 andBT which are journalled within the guide ways as at 39 formed on the. bearing 27 1e lower bracket member 32 is swiveled in the arm 40 on the frame 25. A lug 41..fast on bearing 27 has its outer end pivotally con nected to the rod 42 which has its, other end pivotally connected to one armiof bell-crank g lever 43. This lever 43 is mounted on the frame of the machine and carries a weight 44, which tends to draw the bearing 27 ina rearward direction that is, to the left as viewed in Fig. 1. ecause of the curvature of the apron about the roll 14, the adjustment of the roll to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, will cause it to engage the inclined stretch of the apron, and the same is true of the roll 9, as will be seen from the drawing.

From the above it will be seen that the wei ht 44 tends to turn the roll 14- at an ang c with respect to the length of the apron; with the result that the apron creeps toward the left as viewed in Fig. 5, since the wardly along the general pathof the apron and to engage the inclined stretch of the,

apron. As soon as the roll 14 passes the position in which it bears an angle of- 90 to the direction of travel of the apron, or in other words, when the end of the roll cor-r responding to hearing 27 becomes the advanced end, the apron will begin to'shift toward the other side of the machine and will leave the cone-shaped pulley. Then the roll is again under the influence of the weight,as above ex lained. H Thus it will be seen that the wei it causes the; bearing-27= to swing rearwar ly while the operation of the rack-and pinion causes thisendlof the roll to swing forwardly, with the result that the apron is prevented from creeping in either direction to anyseriousextent. B having the creeping of the apron along a r0 1 to operate throu h a direct connection to adjust the same rol, my device responds more quick] and the correction is more accurate'and e devices. Furt iermore, my device is simple in structure and is not apt to get :outrof order in service. a y,

Other advantages will. suggest themselves to those who are familiar with the art to which m invention relates. a

Whatclaimis-z'm 1". An a ron control ing a gui e roll,-a pivotally mounted sup: port for one end of said roll, said rollhav in a bearing that is mounted for manual ad ustment upon the sup ort at said one end thereof and a bearing t atjslmount-ed for automatic adjustment in the same plane at the other end thereof, means for effecting automatic adjustment of the roll angular-1y with respect to the apron, and means carried by said ast named bearing for'engagement by the apron for'controllm "the operation of said automatically a notable means,

ndable than with other such mechanism, comprise whereb the creeping of the a ron across its path 0 travel is automatical y corrected.

2. An a ron control mechanism,comprising a gui e roll, supports for the ends of said r0 1, said supports havin pivotal move ment in the same-plane, sai -roll having a bearing that is mounted upon the support at one end thereof and a bearing that is mounted for automatic adjustment upon the support at the other end thereof, means for efl'ectin automatic adjustment of the roll angular y with respect to the apron, and

means carried by said last named bearing for engagement by the apron for controlling the operation of said automatically adjustable means, whereby the creeping of the apron across its pat of travel is automatically corrected.

3. An a ron control mechanism comprising, a gui e roll, a pivotally mounted sup? port at one end of saldroll, said roll having 1ts one end mounted upon said support for adjustment lengthwise of the apron, the

other end of the roll having a bearing that is mounted for oscillatory movement along the apron, means for automatically adpisting said oscillator bearing, includ ng means carried by sai bearing for engagement by the apron for controlling the operation of said automatic ad uSting means, whereby travel is automatical ycorrec tedg h 4. An apron control mechan sm co'rnpris as the creeping of the a, ron across its path of ing a guide roll, pivotally mountedsiipportf for the ends of the rolL-said r oll lia'ylri a bearing that is mounted for manual adji i sfl ment upon the LIQPPQH't at ,one end ther of and a bearing that is mounted'for automatic straighuline adf'ustment upon the support a at the other en I matlc adjustment of the roll angular y with means for efi'ectin autores ect to the apron, andmeans carried by sai last-named bearing for engagement by the apron for controll ng the operation of' said automatic, adjusting means, whereby thecreeping of the apron across its path of travel is automatically, corrected.

5. An a run control medhanism comprising anfad u-stable guide roll. said roll hav ing a hearing at one end that is moimte'd for oscillatory movement along the apron, a guide-way allowi ngoscillatory movementjof the said hearing therein, rollers bietweensaid bearing, and guideway, means foradjusting said bearing includingracle and pinion mechanism between saidbearing and guideway and means carriedby said bearing for engagement by the apron for controlling the operation of said ad usting means, whereby the creeping of the apron. across its path of travel is automatically correctedJ' In testimony whereof Ifhcreby aflix my signature,

, JOHN W, rine-v. 

